The first thing I did was to find out

Chapter 401 Advanced Finger Techniques
The finger technique upgrade happened on a very ordinary morning.

Huang Shengli has already discussed the date and price of the Four Happiness Flower Rolls with the manager of Huang's Shop. They will be sold as a new pastry for 18 yuan each.

Considering Huang Ji's prices, 18 yuan for a ham-filled steamed bun isn't expensive at all. After all, Huang Ji's fermented rice buns cost 18 yuan each, so 18 yuan for a steamed bun is a shockingly low price.

Of course, for the sake of everyone's taste buds, Huang Ji had already opened up the purchase channel for Four Happiness Flower Rolls to its members before the rolls were officially launched.

As soon as pre-orders opened, the steamed buns made daily in Qinhuai were sold out. People no longer had the worry of eating too many four-happiness rolls every day, but a little more trouble arose—

The frustration of not being able to eat Four Happiness Rolls.

In Tan Weian's words, people are really something else. When you're so full from eating four-happiness rolls every day, the sight of them makes you want to throw up. But when you suddenly don't have to eat them anymore, you start to crave them again. Sometimes, after making some pastries, you subconsciously check when the four-happiness rolls in Qinhuai are ready, so you're prepared to eat one.

After Tan Wei'an finished speaking, Qin Huai handed him a Four Happiness Roll, fulfilling Tan Wei'an's wish to eat it. However, the moment Tan Wei'an took the roll, he subconsciously burped, a conditioned reflex.

After handing the Four Happiness Roll to Tan Weian, Qin Huai suddenly noticed that it looked slightly better than the previous ones.

It's not that the cloud pattern was formed; of course, it wasn't successfully made. Qin Huai wasn't blind; if the cloud pattern had been successfully made, he would have seen it the moment he cut the Four Happiness Roll in two with his knife to examine it.

At the moment he handed the Four Happiness Roll to Tan Weian, from his perspective, he felt that the shape seemed to be more in line with human aesthetics.

This Four Happiness Roll is no longer a strangely shaped, haphazardly rolled flower roll. It is a flower roll with a unique style, which at first glance looks quite decent.

At that moment, Qin Huai realized that his finger technique might have been upgraded.

The speed at which you gain proficiency in finger techniques is really slow. Qin Huai spent more than two days trying to gain the last 31 proficiency points and still hadn't finished. On the first day, Qin Huai gained 29 proficiency points, but the remaining 2 points just wouldn't increase at all for the entire day. Qin Huai was so frustrated that he started to doubt his life choices and even thought there was a problem with the game system and the stat panel was stuck.

As a result, his kneading skills improved, his seasoning skills improved, and Qin Huai's skill in controlling the heat improved by a few points after stir-frying a few plates of yam, but his finger technique skills remained unchanged.

It can only be said that finger technique is a very stubborn skill; it refuses to upgrade whenever it wants.

Then Qin Huai stopped paying attention to the attribute panel, didn't even open it, and continued making desserts as usual. After activating the game system for so long, Qin Huai had figured out a bit of its quirks—it just didn't play by the rules.

He wanted to improve his cooking skills but ended up improving his seasoning; he wanted to improve his knife skills but ended up improving his cooking skills. Lying skills were the skill Qin Huai least wanted to improve, yet the rate at which it increased was phenomenal, with the progress bar showing so many values ​​that Qin Huai couldn't help but wonder how he could tell so many lies in a single day.

Qin Huai desperately wanted to upgrade his finger technique to the advanced level, but he knew very well that sometimes the more you wanted to upgrade, the more likely it was to backfire. He figured he might as well trick the game system into pretending that he didn't really want to upgrade, and maybe he would level up in a flash.

And then he succeeded in fooling them.

Tan Weian was still gnawing on the Four Happiness Roll, sighing as he ate, "It's really strange. I was so sick of eating these Four Happiness Rolls a few days ago, but I'm craving them after just two days."

"I didn't like steamed buns before either."

"Why do I think this Four Happiness Roll tastes a bit better than the others? It seems my dad was right. No matter how delicious something is, you can't just eat one thing all the time. If you eat too much of it, you'll get tired of it, and even the best food won't taste good anymore."

While Tan Weian was still marveling at the Four Joys Scroll, Qin Huai simply tapped the air, opened the game panel, and flipped directly to the finger technique.

Fingerwork (Advanced): You've finally managed to make a decent-looking dessert. (7/100000)

Your finger technique is really advanced!
It took me two whole days to get the last two points of proficiency at the intermediate level, but now that I'm leveling up to the advanced level, the proficiency is increasing rapidly. Of course, it's not exactly rapidly increasing, but one batch of Four Joy Scrolls gave me at least 7 points, which is much more encouraging than the snail's pace of not getting even two points of proficiency in two days.

Tan Weian was now quite used to Qin Huai suddenly pointing into the void, and asked, "What are you looking at? The game quests or your proficiency?"

"Proficiency." Qin Huai said very honestly, while silently complaining in his heart that someone as honest as him was actually practicing lying so much every day, it was simply unfair.

"My finger technique has been upgraded." Qin Huai said this and turned to find Huang Shengli to ask if the Four Happiness Flower Rolls could be officially put on the shelves of Huang's store a day earlier, today.

Many of Huang Ji's customers now know that Qin Huai is about to launch a new dim sum product: a uniquely shaped and delicious flower roll.

Huang Ji had set the date for the official launch tomorrow, but Qin Huai felt that since the finger technique was already advanced, there was no better time than today, so they decided to launch it directly.

Give Huang Ji's customers a surprise.

He also wanted to see the feedback from ordinary customers regarding the unsuccessful Four Happiness Roll with cloud patterns. The members had been giving rave reviews these past few days, giving him the feeling that a great scholar was personally guiding him.

No one objected to the unusual shape of the Four Happiness Rolls; everyone felt that Chef Qin had his reasons for doing it this way. Who says that steamed buns have to look like steamed buns, or that they can't be artistically shaped?

Of course, a very small number of customers recognized that the steamed buns seemed to be Four Happiness Steamed Buns, as they remembered the Four Happiness Steamed Buns that Zheng Da originally made. However, the recipe had been changed, and the diced fatty pork had been replaced with diced ham, which made it taste better. It wasn't the same as before, so these customers were unsure and could only secretly inquire with Gong Liang whether Chef Qin had taught them how to make Four Happiness Steamed Buns.

Zheng Da didn't teach it well; he taught it to be the original version that Master Qin taught it to the wrong place, which is why it was renamed Four Happiness Flower Roll.

All we can say is that Master Zheng took the blame for Master Qin.

Huang Shengli wasn't surprised when Qin Huai suggested putting the Four Happiness Flower Rolls on the shelves a day early. He could tell that Qin Huai didn't care at all how badly his Four Happiness Flower Rolls turned out. Of everyone, Zheng Da was actually the one who cared the most about this.

However, Huang Shengli was still a little curious as to why Qin Huai would think of putting it on a day earlier. In Huang Shengli's opinion, there was no difference between putting it on today and putting it on tomorrow.

Huang Shengli asked directly.

"It might be because I feel that my Four Happiness Rolls have improved today." Qin Huai spoke rather tactfully in front of Huang Shengli, without making a bold statement like "my finger technique has reached an advanced level." "I think that although the batch of Four Happiness Rolls I just made still doesn't have cloud patterns, the overall shape is much more normal and meets the standards for sale."

"Oh?" Huang Shengli became interested and laughed, "It seems that your Chef Zheng really can't come to the kitchen every day. It's rare that he's been so diligent for so long, coming here early every morning. Although he hasn't done much himself, he's at least guiding you in making Four Happiness Rolls, and sometimes he'll even take the time to give you some pointers on Guliyunwen."

"You made up an excuse to skip the check-up today, Xiao Qin, and you've already improved your 'Four Joys Roll' (a nickname for a dog). It seems Zheng Da needs to take the neighbor's dog to the vet more often."

Qin Huai: ...

The neighbor's dog didn't deserve this.

Huang Shengli asked to see where Qin Huai had improved. Qin Huai himself also wanted to know, because he really didn't feel anything when his finger technique was upgraded.

Qin Huai had long ago discovered that the feeling of upgrading a basic skill from beginner to intermediate level is very strong, because beginner skills are really weak, and upgrading to intermediate level means that you have mastered the basics. Qin Huai could clearly feel it the moment he upgraded.

The feeling of advancing from advanced to master level is also very strong. Master level is obviously a hurdle, a hurdle that determines whether a chef is an ordinary chef or a master chef, a hurdle that many ordinary chefs can never overcome in their entire lives.

However, the transition from intermediate to advanced is not as noticeable; the boundary between the two is relatively blurred.

Qin Huai initially had an intermediate level in dough kneading, which then advanced to advanced. If Qin Huai were to ask Zheng Siyuan, Zheng Da, and others who had worked with him closely and witnessed his progress firsthand whether their dough kneading skills had improved, they would definitely say yes, but not very significantly. Qin Huai's dough kneading was already quite good before. The game system's rating of basic skills is rather strange; intermediate dough kneading is already considered quite good among ordinary chefs, and advanced dough kneading can only be described as a further improvement, nothing particularly impressive.

Qin Huai felt that if he wanted to amaze everyone again with his skills in making noodles, he might have to wait until he reached the master level in making noodles.

Huang Shengli followed Qin Huai to the cooking station to watch Qin Huai make Four Happiness Rolls.

Tan Weian hadn't finished eating his Four Happiness Rolls when he saw Qin Huai continuing to make them. Since he also wanted to take a break and not make any desserts, he decided to stand aside and watch.

Seeing Tan Weian and Huang Shengli gathered around Qin Huai, Zheng Siyuan assumed Qin Huai had come up with something new. He immediately put down what he was doing and went to watch. He found Qin Huai simply laying out the filling for the Four Happiness Rolls as usual, and asked Tan Weian directly:

"Qin Huai has created the cloud pattern?"

Without hesitation, Tan Weian said, "No, it's still early. It's just a regular steamed bun, only a little prettier than the previous ones."

"Then what are you looking at here?" Zheng Siyuan asked.

"I'm eating. I've been making pastries all morning, and it'll be opening time in a little over an hour. I'll be busy then, so I have to take a break as soon as possible," Tan Weian replied with complete confidence.

Zheng Siyuan: ...

For Zhiweiju to have a direct disciple like you... you must be incredibly well-connected.

As the two were talking, Qin Huai's progress had reached the main part of the story.

Aside from the difficulty of rolling the dough in both the forward and reverse directions, Four Happiness Rolls are not complicated to make; in fact, they can be said to be quite quick.

As long as the amount of filling is controlled, both regular and reverse rolls can be done quickly, whether you are very skilled or not. Only chefs who are somewhere in between and need to explore and hesitate will do it slowly.

Qin Huai didn't even have the right to explore or hesitate before, but now he does.

Qin Huai remembers clearly that Gu Li would mention every time he explained that pressing the Four Happiness Roll with the little finger was for better rolling.

To be honest, Qin Huai tried this step every time he was writing the main text, but he always felt that it was unnecessary.

Whether it's a discount or not, it's all the same; the final price will be the same regardless.

But this time, when Qin Huai pretended to press the Four Happiness Roll with his little finger as before, he suddenly understood why this step was necessary.

The force of resistance is also a force, and the skillful technique of Four Happiness Roll is actually a combination of multiple forces.

To provide a more detailed description, you could present a physics force analysis problem within the scope of middle school, asking students to draw a force diagram and analyze which direction the force should be applied.

For the first time, Qin Huai had a basic understanding of the techniques involved in the Four Joys Scroll, and for the first time, she truly realized why finger techniques could be considered a fundamental skill.

Finger technique is indeed a skill, and it can truly be a fundamental skill for chefs.

Like knife skills and heat control, it tests the chef's technique and ability to exert force. However, the force of finger techniques is more subtle and refined. It is applicable to more advanced types of dim sum and pursues a more comprehensive range of products.

It is not only for visual and aesthetic appreciation, but also for the overall improvement of the desserts.

Those difficult pastries are not rolled because there are no other ways to roll them, so they can only roll them in terms of shape. Rather, it is because only difficult pastries are qualified to roll them in terms of shape.

Although Qin Huai's main text is still full of problems, if Gu Li were to explain it to him in real time, he would still be able to point out 9 of the 8 pauses in Qin Huai's text.

However, Qinhuai is at least in the true main text.

It is the main scroll in the process of creating cloud patterns.

It's not just pretentious or mindlessly rolling things up.

Zheng Siyuan had originally planned to leave, but seeing Qin Huai's movements, he suddenly didn't want to go anymore. His heels were rooted to the spot, and his eyes were fixed on Qin Huai's hand movements. Zheng Siyuan's obvious movement immediately attracted Tan Weian's attention, and Tan Weian also followed Zheng Siyuan's gaze to look at Qin Huai's hand movements.

Then Tan Weian opened his eyes wide.

In terms of creating cloud patterns, Tan Weian is more skilled than Zheng Siyuan. This is probably the only aspect of Tan Weian's work that can currently surpass both Qin Huai and Zheng Siyuan's.

Therefore, Tan Weian was able to see more.

Tan Weian could tell that although Qin Huai was still not very good at making cloud patterns, he was already on the right track.

Tan Weian tried hard to recall how long it took him to embark on this real path, whether it was 5 months or 7 months.

It doesn't matter if I can't remember.

How long did Qinhuai take?

Half a month?
Is it a human?

Go ahead and open it, buddy.

Even if you're a genius, you can't be this genius.

Do you know how difficult it is to make cloud patterns? Do you know how difficult it is to learn cloud patterns? Do you know how difficult and unpopular this skill is in pastry making? Do you know how many famous master chefs don't know how to make cloud patterns of the level of Four Happiness Rolls and Ruyi Rolls?
do you know?

It's okay if you don't know, I do!
Tan Weian felt that even though he was already used to Qin Huai being a pervert, he would always be shocked by the extent of Qin Huai's perversion again.

At this moment, the same question that had crossed Tan Weian's mind as that of Zheng Siyuan resurfaced.

Would imagining a game system driving you crazy really help your cooking skills that much?
How is that attribute panel set up again? How do I figure out what level and proficiency I have?
Tan Wei'an muttered, "Damn, is leveling up finger techniques really that useful?"

"So what level is my finger technique?"

(End of this chapter)